While we didn’t explore quite as much as I would have liked this summer, we certainly got out and saw some new places. We did a few hikes, explored some new places and did a few activities like riding the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad.

As the weather cleared up and Ellie completed her fifth trip around the sun, her personality just keeps coming out more and more.

These photos help to show how much she’s coming out of her shell and that she isn’t afraid to be her, which I love. I don’t want her to ever apologise for being who she is.

She upgraded from her balance bike to her first real bike at Christmas and once the weather cleared up, she was able to start riding around and she’s getting pretty good at operating the bike by herself. She’s still got training wheels / stabilisers on for now, but those’ll come off soon enough with how well she’s progressing. Continue reading “April – June 2018”

Ellie celebrated her fifth(!) birthday this summer. To celebrate, we invited a bunch of her friends to come and celebrate at Enchanted Forest: a theme park based on fairy tales which hasn’t seen too many updates since the 1970s. However, all of the adults agreed that that was part of its charm; it isn’t flashy or over the top, but offers some great entertainment for a reasonable price without going crazy.

This summer, we made the decision to take our family vacation in Bend, OR. Bend is characterized by the high desert climate, notably different from the wetter climate on the west side of the Cascades (where Portland is), but its craft beer scene and its many options for outdoor adventure.

It was a pretty low-key affair and more than anything, it was just a good break from the everyday slog of life at home, but while we were there, we definitely took the opportunity to do some activities that we wouldn’t ordinarily be able to do.

December was largely a write-off because of sickness throughout the house, however we got right on with enjoying the new year.

Ellie spent a fair amount of time building the Lego sets that she got at Christmas. Ellie and I also participated in a 13-week Daddy-Daughter Ballet class: she was definitely the better ballerina, but it was nice to have that special experience with her.

This past weekend, I took Ellie to Seattle for a little daddy-daughter weekend before she starts school in a couple of weeks! We had so much fun seeing the sights and I cherished the opportunity to dote on my little girl, and do things like get dressed up and take her on a date.

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Buying gifts for Ellie

If you're looking to buy a gift for Ellie, we sincerely appreciate the thought. There are several things that Ellie could not and should not have though, so we put together a little page that'll help you choose something suitable for her: